What North Carolina Real Estate Agents Are Saying About Shepard Law

Shepard Law is proud to partner with outstanding North Carolina real estate agents. These professionals work tirelessly to guide and empower their clients through important life milestones, such as buying their first home or saying goodbye to a much-loved property. Read on to learn more about our referral partners — and how we work alongside them to offer their clients a lifetime of legal representation. 

Featured Real Estate Agents 

David Hodson has been serving his community as a real estate professional for over fifty years. As the decades-long Broker-In-Charge at Properties of the Carolinas, he helps North Carolina residential and business clients buy and sell their properties and navigate common commercial challenges. Hodson is also the founding partner of Because You Served, a program with over two hundred thousand active followers all over the country. The organization honors our nation’s heroes by waiving or discounting commission fees for veterans and their active-duty family members who are putting their homes up for sale.

Carol Grochmal is the top single agent in Charlotte, North Carolina. She celebrates thirteen years at Keller Williams Realty, serving clients in both their Charlotte and Myrtle Beach locations. Like Shepard Law, her business is cultivated through connection — relationships built within her sphere of influence and with their families and friends. 

Needs & Challenges 

Communication and Accessibility 

As any agent can attest, communication is key throughout the many steps in real estate transactions.

“The goal post changes throughout the process, and it’s crucial to have an attorney that can communicate effectively through any small or large-scale issues that pop up,” emphasizes Hodson. 

It’s vital for attorneys to be knowledgeable about every legal process needed to close a deal, down to the most minute detail — and to be available when agents need that information.

“Real estate is a business that happens 24/7,” Says Grochmal. “There are times at eight or nine o’clock at night when I need an answer to a client’s legal question.”

Discussing the Present and Future 

As Hodson, Grochmal, and other agents have found, many real estate attorneys communicate only the essential steps their work involves, stopping short of providing additional value through deeper explanations and advice. Whether working with young clients buying their first home or more seasoned homeowners ready to sell or move to their next property, Hodson seeks an attorney partner that can go beyond the bare minimum to help clients see the bigger picture.  

“You're getting ready to either make the largest purchase in your life as a couple, or you're getting ready to sell a home that you own. There’s a lot of cash involved in those decisions, especially in today’s market, he explains. “I ask, ‘What plans have you made?’ Often, they have made no provisions for how all those assets get protected in case something happens to one or both of them.” 

The Shepard Law Difference 

One Team, One Goal

When her tried-and-true attorney partner departed to work for a builder, Grochmal chose Shepard Law to continue growing her business. From the beginning of their new partnership, it was clear that she was gaining a lifelong teammate who could help her meet her clients’ needs. 

“Candice has made herself accessible to me, as I’m sure she does for many others,” affirms Grochmal. “I have her cell phone number, and if I text her asking if she’s available to answer a  question, the answer is almost always yes. It shows that she values me and the referrals I make to her — she doesn’t take that lightly.”

Hodson and Grochmal also benefit from a high level of flexibility, even with the natural bumps in the road that occur during any real estate transaction. “Shepard Law is flexible with timing changes and able to handle rezoning and regulatory issues that may impact the closing date,” shares Hodson. “Collectively, we can solve just about any problem.” 

Bolstering Client Relationships

Hodson first met Candice Shepard during a home closing for a service member working with Because You Served. Herself a veteran, Candice treated the client with the utmost attention and care. 

“She makes each client feel like [Shepard Law’s] sole priority,” he says. “They’re never on the offensive — clients aren’t rushed or talked down to. This treatment is the same with everybody that I've ever worked with at the firm, at any level.” 

From the first encounter at the desk and throughout every meeting, the culture of positivity and friendliness created at Shepard Law is not lost on their real estate partners. “You hear that attorneys are these ‘Oz’-like people who are untouchable,” says Grochmal. “Candice is just a person — and she wants to be accessible, not just to us, but especially to our clients.” 

Securing A Lifetime of Protection   

Both Hodson and Grochmal have seen the positive impact that Shepard Law has had in their clients’ lives. The young couples who work with Hodson, for example, have easy access to the estate planning opportunities also offered by the firm, which encourages them to get started on those all-important next steps.

“[Shepard Law] turns estate planning from something they’ll get around to eventually, into a concrete plan. And their fees for these services are also very reasonable,” says Hodson. “That's a value add that they bring to the table, and it's not even something that's typically brought up in real estate closing.” 

Knowledge of these accessible services spreads beyond current clients, as well. “I've sent my own parents to Shepard Law for their will and estate planning,” shares Grochmal. 

Results 

Part of the Family

Shepard Law has created a caring and welcoming environment for real estate referral clients by providing compassionate legal support for all of life's greatest milestones. 

“It’s all a part of the family approach that Shepard has created,” says Hodson. “They want to make sure that the whole family is taken care of, and they’re willing to jump in and help any way they can.” 

A Trustworthy Connection 

Loyalty is key in referral partnerships — and Shepard Law’s agent partners enjoy a solid attorney relationship they know they will be able to depend on for years to come. 

“Even if a client approaches Shepard Law with a question that is out of their area of expertise, they likely have a referral to another expert who could do it justice,” says Hodson. “They want to make sure our clients are taken care of, always.” 

With Shepard Law’s “everything can be figured out” approach, no challenge is too hard to navigate. “It's not about the houses. It's all about relationships,” says Grochmal. “[Shepard Law] works as an extension of me and my business, so that I have somebody to ask for even a quick text question. And like I tell my clients, my relationship with my attorney benefits them, too.” 

A Bright Future 

By working with these dedicated real estate agents, Shepard Law will continue to support the community with trust-inspiring legal services as they move through the different stages – and homes – in their lives.

“We have the daily confidence that she has our back as real estate professionals,” says Grochmal. “They have such a reputation that when I suggest Shepherd Law to my clients, I know for sure that things are going to go well.”

“They genuinely care — that’s not just a show, an ad, or a sign over the door,” affirms Hodson. “From the top down, it’s a law firm and a business that truly cares about their clients.”

Nurturing Real Estate Success 

Shepard Law is dedicated to becoming a key part of your team, working on your side and in your corner throughout each home purchase or sale. Your clients from all walks of life will benefit from personal, quality service for themselves and their families. 

To learn more about our commitment to our real estate referral clients, check out the previous articles in this series — or contact Shepard Law today to begin your own real estate partnership journey.